The heart, of course, and the blood which circulates throughout the body, are very much tied to emotion. For the most part, these emotions are related to loving or being hurt and experiencing grief. The emotions of the heart become out of balance as we either lock ourselves away in a mode of protection or our hearts overflow and get completely out of control. At the core of our beings, our hearts, emotionally and physically, are in a constant state of flux. The pumping of the physical heart brings nourishment and life. In a similar manner, the workings of the emotional heart bring love and light into our lives or take us into the polar opposites of fear, darkness, and death.

The rhythm of the physical heart is very responsive to our emotions as we try to maintain emotional balance in the face of challenges. Angina can be a warning signal that such attitudes as hostility, aggression, or over focus on money and material things has crept into our lives. A heart attack implies that you feel you are being “attacked” somehow, or can be the result of a wall that we have built up to protect ourselves from hurt, loss, or grief.

GENERAL COMMENTS

The heart and the kidneys are very closely related. In almost every case of heart stress or disease, the kidneys are, and have been for years, prone to infection and extremely susceptible to irritation by chemicals and food allergies. Many times the food allergies are unsuspected and undiagnosed because the only symptom is the stress on the kidneys. We are not taught to consider kidney stress as an allergy symptom.

The emotions behind kidney issues are also very common. These emotions include a general sense of vulnerability, especially in regards to family or close personal relationships. Fear of just about everything, but particularly new situations, is also a basic emotion for kidneys.

As discussed above, the heart and the circulatory system are responsible for the supplying blood to all of the cells in the body. While providing oxygen and nutrients on the physical level, there is also a very emotional aspect to this circulation. Deb Shapiro, in her book "Your Body Speaks Your Mind" states "That the heart represents love is the one part of the bodymind we are all, universally, agreed upon. The blood represents the circulation of that love, the giving and receiving seen in the constant flow to and from the heart."

When trying to find ways to improve the circulatory system, be sure to include your emotional heart. Having your emotional heart balanced is just as important as your physical heart. (see Newsletter from February 2012 on your Emotional Heart).